


Prone to bad luck

by mckvch (RaiseYourVoice)



Series: How to woo your local barista [4]
Category: Shadowhunters (TV), The Mortal Instruments Series - Cassandra Clare
Genre: Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Alternate Universe - Human, Barista Raphael, Demisexual Raphael Santiago, M/M, Not Beta Read, Pansexual Simon Lewis, Pre-Relationship, Shyness, Vegetarian Simon, date
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-14
Updated: 2016-08-14
Packaged: 2018-08-08 17:03:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,246
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7766077
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RaiseYourVoice/pseuds/mckvch
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"Sit, please. Are you feeling better?" Raphael smiled at him, sweet as ever, and Simon swallowed before mirroring the expression. He plopped down at the small kitchen table and nodded in reply.</p><p>"Yes, much better. Thank you."</p><p>"Then...what's the matter?" The younger male tilted his head to the side with a worried expression and of course, Simon was completely obvious once again. He took a breath and was about to reply honestly when Raphael lifted the lid off the pot in the middle of the table to reveal...stew. And it seemed like <em>vegetable stew</em>?</p><p>"Sorry, I know this isn't a date kind of dinner but I'm not exactly a chef and this is the only thing I always manage to get right," Raphael admitted a little sheepishly and shrugged with the hint of a blush colouring his cheeks.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Prone to bad luck

Simon was on his way to the third date with Raphael and, this time, he was actually not too late - he failed to be in time both other dates but wanted to make up for it now. Not only did he finally buy a proper shirt instead of wearing one of his comic design t-shirts, he also left his apartment way too early and checked at least ten times that he was headed to the right address. The first two dates took place in smaller restaurants - not the fancy kind that none of them would be able to pay for anyway - but Raphael had invited him over to his place and Simon felt more nervous than ever.

Of course, some higher power was completely against him and although he did arrive twenty minutes early, he ended up being soaked to the bones thanks to a sudden downpour on the rather short walk from the bus stop to Raphael's home. This was what he got for dressing up nicely and even doing his hair...Simon was tempted to pull out his phone and cancel the date because he might be standing in front of the house already but he looked like a drowned cat. It was like a curse. He tried his best to make a good impression every time but always messed up in one way or another. Simon hated that he ended up looking like a fool in front of his crush so often.

In the end, he pressed the doorbell anyway - the wind had picked up, he was a shivering mess and he felt like only the sight of Raphael would manage to save his rapidly dropping mood right now. He pushed the door open as soon as he heard the buzzing sound and a sigh of relieved slipped past his lips when he finally stepped out of the rain and cold wind. Simon trudged up the stairs until he reached the floor with an open door, Raphael waiting for him. His smile turned into a worried expression as soon as he saw Simon's drenched state.

"You really are prone to bad luck, huh?" Raphael stepped aside to let a drenched Simon enter the short hallway of his small apartment and his gorgeous face showed a slightly amused but still worried expression, "But you do know about this rather practical invention called  _umbrella_ , right?"

Simon couldn't help but laugh at the playfully teasing question while slipping out of his disgustingly wet shoes. Wet clothes were uncomfortable enough but there was probably nothing more awful than having water in your sneakers, squishing with every step.

"Come on, I'll show you the bathroom so you can dry off or take a shower if you want to," Raphael offered with a soft smile and pushed open the second door to their right. Simon knew Raphael didn't live alone but with his best friend and he had already seen the guy at the café a few times, though he honestly hadn't been able to imagine those two living together. Now, looking at all the make-up on a shelf by the sink, he would have probably thought Raphael shared the apartment with a girl because of all the stuff.

"Towels are in the cabinet over there and I'll get you dry clothes to change into, wait a moment." With that, the younger male left the bathroom and returned a few minutes later with a pile of clothes that he handed to Simon.

"I guess it's better if you took a shower to warm up again, you're shivering." Raphael's fingertips softly brushed the cool back of Simon's hand, whose heart immediately stuttered into a faster pace, his cheeks heating up a little despite the cold from the weather lingering on every part of his body. Simon's "Thank you" was barely above a whisper and even after Raphael left the bathroom, he stared at the closed door for a few minutes before locking it and finally peeling his uncomfortable, icy clothes off.

When Simon left the bathroom - warmed up and with pinkish cheeks because of the fact that he was  _wearing Raphael's clothes_  - the younger boy called him and following the voice he entered the kitchen, his nose was immediately filled with the delicious smell of food. It was only then that he realised he never mentioned to Raphael that he was a vegetarian and a slightly panicky feeling rose in his chest because what if the other made meat? He didn't want to be rude, especially because Raphael obviously cooked the meal himself...

"Sit, please. Are you feeling better?" Raphael smiled at him, sweet as ever, and Simon swallowed before mirroring the expression. He plopped down at the small kitchen table and nodded in reply.

"Yes, much better. Thank you."

"Then...what's the matter?" The younger male tilted his head to the side with a worried expression and of course, Simon was completely obvious once again. He took a breath and was about to reply honestly when Raphael lifted the lid off the pot in the middle of the table to reveal...stew. And it seemed like  _vegetable stew_?

"Sorry, I know this isn't a date kind of dinner but I'm not exactly a chef and this is the only thing I always manage to get right," Raphael admitted a little sheepishly and shrugged with the hint of a blush colouring his cheeks.

"No, no! This is--It's perfect. I don't know what the 'proper' meal for a date would be anyway and you made it so...It's perfect." Simon felt his own cheeks heat up and a shyly smiled at the tabletop, then he cleared his throat and the "There's no meat?" was almost a whisper - though he didn't know why he was so hesitant to ask.

"Well, seeing as you are a vegetarian I thought it might be a little counterproductive to cook something you don't eat."

"You...you know? But how? I don't remember mentioning--" Simon stopped at the soft sound of Raphael's laughter and his heartbeat sped up at the sound.

"We only had two dates but I did notice you didn't order something with meat both times and...I might have asked your red-headed friend what you like to eat."

Simon looked up in surprise and this time, it was the younger boy who stared at the table top, his cheeks adorable rosy and Simon was sure his heart would leap right out of his chest any second now. He couldn't believe this sweet, thoughtful guy was even real. He really wanted to kiss this adorable boy for being the best date he could ever imagine but Simon held back, knew it was too soon for such an action but he did reach out and brushed the back of Raphael's hand with his fingertips.

"Thank you." He didn't know what else to say but it was enough to make Raphael look up at him, smile brighter than ever before and the slightly awkward tension melted away when they started eating, talking about what happened in the time since they last saw each other. Simon told the younger about stuff at university and Raphael talked about weird customers at the coffee shop. Despite the unlucky start, the date turned out better than the last two and when they said their goodbyes a few hours later, Simon was unable to not brush the softest of kisses to the younger's cheek before rushing off with a hammering heartbeat.

**Author's Note:**

> Is it just me or do they get more and more awkward with every part? *laughs* Raphael, stop acting shy, you were not supposed to be shy! ...but the thought of Raphael blushing is admittedly adorable, even though it's probably a little too ooc.


End file.
